Self-cleaning humidifier



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1952 NAW Feb. 14, 1956 J. F. KING, JR2,734,771

SELF-CLEANING HUMIDIFIER Filed Feb. 18. 1952 2 Sheets-Shea t 2 BYATTORNEYS.

United States Patent() SELF-CLEANIN G HUMIDIFIER James F. King, Jr.,Winston-Salem, N. C., assignor to The Bahnson Company, Winston-Salem, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Application February 18, 1952,Serial No. 272,038

14 Claims. (Cl. 299-63) This invention relates to humidiers andparticularly to humidiers of the type wherein vwater is supplied to arapidly rotating impeller disk from which it is thrown by centrifugalforce against a grid ring having a row of stationary blades or teethcircumferentially surrounding the path of the periphery of the disk andthus atomized to be entrained by a stream of air blown past the hu-Iring. In the case of a humidifier operated in a room wherein there is anappreciable amount of lint in the air, such as in a textile mill, thelint is drawn into the air stream and is deposited on the rim of thecasing and on the glid ring where it collects moisture and, due to thepassage of the air, extends in the direction of the air stream inelongated tassels or whiskers. Moisture which is deposited on thesetassels by the passage of the vmoisture-laden air and/ or by drainagefrom the casing, is

blown from the collected lint in the form of drops which injure thematerials being manufactured. Similar undesirable effects result fromthe formation of drops on the lint which is caught by and collected onthe grid ring.

U. S. Patent No. 1,966,872, issued July 17, 1937, discloses a humidifierstructure wherein the formation of stringy, tassel like deposits oflarge amounts of lint or other foreign matter on the rim of the casingis rendered impossible. Humidifiers of the general type with which theinvention is concerned are disclosed also in U. S. Patents Nos.1,544,418 and 1,745,239 to Bahnson.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a humidifierstructure which is adapted to prevent the accumulation of lint and dirtand the formation of tasseisor whiskers on the grid ring, e. g. theteeth thereof.

It is a further object to provide means for effecting periodic rotationof the grid ring so as to move the teeth of the ring past a stationarycleaning device for the teeth, the device for rotating the ring beingconstituted by a small turbine powered by the water under pressure whichis otherwise normally delivered to the impeller disk for atomizingduring the humidifying periods, and the cleaning device preferably beingconstituted by one or more small spray nozzles positioned adjacent thegrid teeth which are also supplied by the pressure water.

A more specific object is to provide an automatic cleaning device forthe teeth of the grid ring comprising a small water turbine for rotatingthe grid teeth past a stationary cleaning unit, a humidity controlledinlet pipe for bringing in water under pressure to the humidifier, avalve having an inlet port connected to the inlet pipe and two outletports connected respectively to an outlet pipe leading to the ringdriving turbine and a second outlet pipe ice leading to the impellerdisk, and means controlled by the ring as it rotates for controlling thevalve insuch manner that water is delivered to the turbine for apredetermined period at the beginning of each humidifying period.

The foregoing as well as other objects and advantages of the inventionwill become more apparent from the accompanying drawings whichillustrate a preferred embodi-r ment thereof when taken in conjunctionwith the appertaining description.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation with the cover plate for the impeller diskremoved;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of the valve and its control as seenfrom the front in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the valve and control as Lseen from therear;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the valve and its control;

Fig. 6 is a view of the valve in section;

Fig. 7 is another view of the valve with part of the cover plate brokenaway; j

Fig. 8 is a view in top plan of the cam by which the valve iscontrolled;

Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of the control cam for the valve; and

Fig. 10 is aA view partly in section of the spray nozzles.

With reference now to the drawings, 10 is a casing for deflection of anair stream passing to the humidifier unit, the air stream directionbeing from right to left with respect to the apparatus illustrated inFig. 2. A main shaft 11, receiving power from any suitable source suchas a motor 12, drives a rotary water impeller disk 13'1ixed to theshaft. Water is supplied to the unit through. an inlet feed pipe 15, inwhich is placed a main valve 20 that is under the control vof a humidityresponsive device 21, as legended on the drawing, such as any vof thewell known types of humidistats commonly available.

A grid ring 18 is provided with au annular row of teeth 19 against whichwater is thrown from the periphery of the continually rotating disc 13thus breaking up the water into a ne mist which becomes entrained in,the air stream passing by the casing 10. Ring 18 is mounted forrotation, it being attached to the outer rotatable race 56 of a ballbearing assembly, the inner stationary race 5.7 being secured to casing10 and the vball bearings being shown at 58. However as will beexplained hereinafter, grid ring 18 is normally stationary except for abrief period at the beginning of -each humidifying operation when it iscausedto rotate and to thus move the teeth 19 past a stationary nozzle59 through which water is discharged thus cleaning off the teeth.

When the humidifier unit isin operation motor 12 driving the impellerdisk 13 'may be run continuously, butin accordance with normalprocedures, water will be supplied to the impeller disk 13 through line55 only when the relative humidity of the air being conditioned fallsbelow the desired value, causing valve 20 in pipe 15 to open. This valverecloses when the air under treatment has regained its desired moisturecontent. I

Inlet pipe 15 extends from valve 20 to a second valve 60 which as seenclearly in Fig. 6 includes an upper valve chamber 61, a lower valvechamber 62, af wall 63 separating the two chambers and a valve stern 64which passes through andl operates in a central aperture 65 in the wall63. Valve stem 64 carries an upper washer 66 which seats upon andcontrols fluid ow from the upper end of aperture 65 leading to chamber61 and a lower washer 67 which similarly seats upon the lower end ofaperture 65 and controls fluid flow to chamber 62.

For guiding valve stern 64 in its movement within aperture 65,ydiaphragms 68, 69 are employed in the upper and lower valve chambers.These diaphragms have their rim portions anchored in the cytindricalwalls of the valve chambers `and are secured to -thevalve stern 64 attheir centers by machine screws 70 which pass through the diaphragms andwashers into the opposite end faces f the Stem.

Disposed Ybetween 'the upper kend wallet fthe valve casing fand theupper diaphragm "68 is a coiled 'spring `71 which bearsY against thisdiaphragm 'to 'thereby normally load the valve stem inthe downward'direction to 'the position shown in VFig. `6,` Tnthis-,post'iom 'waterentering valve A60 Ythrough pipe 'will accordingly pass 'through aninternal passageway/72 in 'partition wall 62.10' central aperture 65,thence downward into lower .valve .chamber 62, out of chamber 62 viaanother .inl'ernalpassageway 721 leading through wall '63, andoutwardffrom vali/e6() through pipe 75 which leads to a small.turbine"76. Water issuing from n`o`zizle `77 -imde'rpressurev impinges upon theblades 78 'of vthetur'bine .rotor j79 causing the Ylatter to rotate.Water dischag'es `from lthe turbinerotor through an oi1flet'792z ahddrops upon the continuously -rotating disk 13 which breaksgit up intoaline. mistthat becomes ert'r'a'ined Yin the passing air stream.

Turbine rotor .'79 Yserves to rotate the vgrid 'ring 18 and 'the'coupling between the two is constituted 'by a reduction gear`trair`1,shown.best in Fig. 1, fand Vwhich includes pinion g`ear"80driven by rotor -7-9 meshed 11W-ith ring .gearjsiluwhiclh' .drives.pinion y82 that meshes with iin'g gear 83 that drives pinion 84 thatmesheswith the teeth 56a on bearingrace S6 upon which lgrid rin'g. 18 is'mounten A f lhefr'eductiongeantrain 8184is carried fin arhous'ing orgear box 98 which along with the turbine 76 ismo'unted upon 'the frarneof motorlZ by-screws -99and1100. The connection at screw 99-formsa-iixedfpivotandtheiconnection at screw Y100, the .lattenpassedsthrough4a :.slot '100hz in the vhousing eperrnitsfof :a --slight adjustment inorder'to effect atproperirneslh between ,vthenlastoutput gear 84 ofthegear train andthe .combinedfgear and bearing race 56. Y

Revertng -to ,valve-A60, --itwill-also `be seen,-fromFigs. o Nand7 that.-pipe 455 which supplies-.water rtoyimpeller disk l13: :connects withanother internal epassageway y85 in wall 63 leading Vto the upper-valve;chamberf-61. fAs previouslyexplained valve-1stem 64iis normallyloaded by spring 71 infa downward directionasviewedinflig.-36 so thatlower chamber 62 normally/@communicateswith -passagewaysr72 and 74 '-andthus :water enteringlvalve 60 *from inlet-pipe 15 willrpassoutfofnthevalvegthrough line 75 leading toi turbine F76. When-howeverwalvetstemv:64 is moved in an upwarddirection =from. that shown-Tin Fig. so as`toelosefof` lowerrchamber ..62 fromffpassa-g'eway 725 and placethelattenin communicationwith upper chamber 61, -water entering-lthevalve Twilli-pass outff the same through pipef55fand` be.fdelivere'dfito ltheimpellen `disk y-13 -for 1 atomi-zing.

x Valve `stem 64, in effect,l terminateslin a -dntolbutton 86- which'projects.- slightly ybeyond -the fface-of ltheilower end closure plateof-fthevalve casing-fandibutton 86 is arranged to'lie-in fthe=path1ofaS'camf87-forme'd-at the outer, vfree end of anfarm88. The-innerfendofiarmf88 is pivotally 'mountedtfat =89 fupon oneb'face Aof a mltilobedcircular cam "plate f90'1and 3a spring 91ass'ociated vwith the farm'serves 'to'loa'df-'it clockwse,- a's-lviewed Vin Fig. f3,':against stopfpin ``92. 'lAi'secodlstopfpin 'fcserves to limit motion ofa-rmffSSlin-'the oppositeldirection 'of movement.

vCain plate 9er-is rotatably mounted atiits'center on -kavsru'dv94'whichttrr'eadsfintothewall of "valve 60 and the fourlobes 95'of"`thecam'whichare:located"on"'the iopposite 'side i from i the "pivo'tallymounted l'cam 87 are Iafdat'ate'd to be contacted in successionby:"the"one"or more circumferentially spaced lrollers' 956iont'ldnlgridaing 1I8. "Asfviewedtinfflig1,rottion 6i 4turbil're'rotor`79 eourreretdekwse effectsL rotation fgrdr ring 1'8 intaclockwise direction. Hence as each roller 96 (two are used in rtheillustrated embodiment spaced 180 apart-3 comes into engagement with thecam lobes 95, cam plate will be caused to advance counterclockwisethrough an angle of 90. In the case of the illustrated construction, cam87 is always located just to the left of valve control button 86 at thestattfofa humidifying operation and hence vfour .successive engagements.between the rollers 96 anl"ca'ml"o`b`es 95 'requiring `two 'revolutionsof grid ring 518 willieffe'ct onecornplete revolution rjot camplatefSO-thus-:bring'ing foam 87 jint'o engagement fwithfwalve controlbutton 86. When contact betweentheileaing edge of `earn 87 and button86isestab1ished.aslplate 90 rotates, the V loading elect o'n the 'buttonby spring 71 will result in car`n-87 Iandlarm AJrbein'g rotated slightlyclockwise about pivot 89 against the loading of spring 91 until it abutsstop pin 93. Continued rotation of plate 9.0 and cam S7 then causesbutton 86 to move upwardly. The arrangement ofthe valve parts issuchthatwhenbutton' S6 and hence valve stem '64a1so'has1nroved for approximately50% 'of its stroke,the pressure .from the water acting against'diaphragm "68 .will 'causethe stem 621 to'move jquic'kly tothe oppositeposition 'from 'that shown in lFig. '6 to thus 'cut olfthewaterfromturbine 47'6`androute it through 'pipe "55 to 'theimpelleril'. iMovement of button 86 to its extreme upwardvlpositi'qrlv'ill thennper'n'iit "cam 87 to `r'esumeitsspringloadedposition against the forward 'stoppin `92 Yand thus removeitself out of the :path orbutton 86 so "aspnet Ato inter'fere'wthdownward movement of "the"button Vunder the restoring force ofspring71'when .water 'is cut 'dit atvalve L20 at the end 'of `the'humidifyi'ng operation.

vFor cleaning ot the lip of .'the.,shroud 'or lcasing 10 which`is"loc`ated jatljacent'the periphery of grid ring 18,the'latterJcanbeprovided'with 'a brush or blade "97. which,bear'siagairist and cleans'the casing lip as ring 18 is rotated.

-'Operaton lt is believed `thatthe manner in which the 'cleaningdevicefor fthe Vteeth Vof the 'grid ring `operates willjbe clearly"understood'lfrom `theV foregoing description. "Howeverjinrbriefresum,When'thereis noY call for moisture, 'control `21.oc'cupies a'positionsuch that valve Y20uis jcut 'o'andcam 87.isjl`oc`ated just to the rightofbutton`86 con- Vtrolling valve '60. Motor 12 and .the'impeller disklrotate continuously although this is not necessarily when valve`20:isfclosed.

VAs'surriin'gthere is now arcall for additional moisture -in thefairstream, as soon as valve '20 is opened by control -21 "water will ow`under zpressure 'through rpipe I5Jto valve"60,"through this valvetopipelI'S, and'thence'to'turbine 76`causing theturbinerotori79 torevolve. :Rotary motion of rotor79 `is-transmitted through'the`reduction gearv train 80,-/8A to the ring gear -or outer raef' towhichgrid ring`18 isattached thusfeiiectiugrotationofthe latter,a11'dfthe;gridteeth.19 will be cleaned as they move past 'the streams,of water issuing` fromfthe two, convergently arranged nozzle. p'orts459a inf the nozzlefhead S9 which is connected inf thepipeline 75.

'As grid ring l11S-rotates the two-l80 displaced rollers "'961willengagethe cam lobes ".95 in successionandthus rQtatecamQplateJQ'. .In'thepresent embodimentcam ,plate -90 iis advanced 9'0 for each .engagementbyJeafch 'rller96, tand since thereare'two of theA latter,v it 'willrequireV two revolutions ofjgrid ring 18to-eiect :ne rev o lutionof,camrplate'90. Afterione revolution of p1ate90, cam 87 will be'broughtagainst andfcause upward movement of button'86 and valvestem 64,`thus"trippingfthe valve stern toV itsother position which cuts outletpipe '7.6 and connects .outlet pipe 55to inletpipe 15. This .stopsturbine vrotorl'7 9, thuswbringing vthe reduction ,gear train an'dggrdring '18 ,toY a standstill, andA waterv isjdelivelred;insteadjhroughpipe to Lthe, impeller[c iiskfflu for atomizto clean offthe lip 10a of casing 10. Blade 97 Ybears against the lip 10a and thefriction therebetween also serves as a brake to prevent the grid ring 18from overrunning its predetermined angular travel of 720 Water willcontinue to be delivered to impeller disc 13 through pipe S until thedesired condition of humidity, as determined by the setting of control21, is reached whereupon valve 20 will close cutting oft iiow of allwater to the humidifier. This then completes one cycle of operation andthe device is ready to begin a new cycle as soon as further moisture isneeded in the air stream passing by the unit.

In conclusion, I desire it to be made clear that the illustratedembodiment is to be considered typical rather than limitative of thestructure which may be developed to carry out my inventive concept asdefined in the appended claims. A brush type of cleaner could besubstituted for the spray jets shown, and it is also of course possibleto provide more or less than two revolutions of grid ring 18 bymodifying the cam lobes 9S or changing the number of rollers 96 or cams87. Using only one of the latter, instead of the pair illustrated, wouldfor example require four revolutions of grid ring 18 to effect anactuation of valve 60. Other modifiiations along this line will also besuggested.

I claim:

1. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising a water inlet adapted to beconnected to a sourceof water under pressure, a rotatable impeller towhich Water is delivered from said inlet, a motor connected to saidimpeller for rotating the same, a rotatable grid ring disposed adjacentsaid impeller for atomizing water distributed to it by said impeller,cleaning means cooperative with said grid ring for cleaning the teeth ofsaid ring as the latter is rotated, a turbine coupled to said grid ringfor effecting rotation thereof, and valve controlled pipe meansextending to said turbine from said water inlet.

2. A self-cleaning humidifier as defined in claim l wherein the waterdischarged from said turbine is fed to said impeller.

3. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising a Water inlet adapted to beconnected to a source of water under pressure, a rotatable impeller towhich water is delivered from said inlet, a motor connected to saidimpeller for rotating the same, a rotatable grid ring disposed adjacentsaid impeller for atomizing water distributed to it by said impeller, anozzle positioned to direct a stream of water against the teeth of saidgrid ring for cleaning the teeth as said grid ring is rotated, a turbinecoupled to said grid ring for effecting rotation thereof, and valvecontrolled pipe means extending to said turbine and nozzle from saidWater inlet.

4. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising a water inlet adapted to beconnected to a source of water under pressure, a rotatable impeller fordistributing water delivered thereto, a motor connected to said impellerfor rotating the same, first pipe means for conveying water from saidinlet to said impeller, a rotatable grid ring disposed adjacent saidimpeller for atomizing water distributed to it by said impeller, acleaning device adapted to clean the teeth of said grid ring as thelatter is rotated, a turbine coupled to said grid ring for effectingrotation thereof, second pipe means for conveying water from said inletto said turbine, and valve means controlling flow of water through saidfirst and second pipe means.

5. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising an impeller for distributingwater delivered thereto under pressure, a rotatable grid ring disposedadjacent said impeller for atomizing water distributed by said impeller,a cleaning device cooperative with said grid ring, and means effectingrotaton of said grid ring comprising a turbine, a pipe for conveyingwater under pressure to said turbine and valve means in said pipecontrolled by said grid ring for terminating water ow to said turbineupon completion of a predetermined rotary travel of said grid ring.

' 6. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising a waiter inlet;`

under pressure from said inlet, a rotatable assembly mounted within saidcasing said assembly comprising a toothed grid ring located adjacentsaid impeller and a ring gear, a cleaning device adapted to cooperatewith said grid ring for cleaning the grid teeth, a turbine, a gear traincoupling the turbine rotor to said ring gear, a pipe extending from saidinlet to the rotor of said turbine for efiecting rotation thereof and ofsaid rotatable assembly, a second pipe extending from said inlet to saidimpeller and valve means disposed in said pipes for selectivelycontrolling fiow of water between said inlet and said first and secondpipes.

8. A self-cleaning humidifier as defined in claim 7 wherein said valvemeans is controlled by said rotatable assembly.

9. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising a water inlet adapted to beconnected to a source of water under pressure, a rotatable impeller fordistributing water delivered thereto, a rotatable grid ring disposedadjacent said impeller for atomizing water distributed to it by saidimpeller, a cleaning device adapted to clean the teeth of said grid ringas the latter is rotated, a turbine coupled to said grid ring foreffecting rotation thereof, a control valve, actuating means for saidvalve, said valve having an inlet communicable alternatively with one orthe other of a pair of outlets, pipes leading from said outlets to saidimpeller and turbine, respectively, another pipe 1eading from said waterinlet to the inlet on said valve, a rotatable cam plate, means carriedby said cam plate and movable into engagement with said valve actuatingmeans, and cam actuating means carried by said grid ring and engageablewith said cam plate for rotating the latter through a predeterminedangle for each predetermined angular movement of said grid ring.

l0. A self-cleaning humidifier as defined in claim 9 wherein said valveis normally spring loaded to a position connecting the valve inlet withthat outlet leading to said turbine.

l1. A self-cleaning humidifier as defined in claim 9 wherein said camplate includes a plurality of cam surfaces engaged in succession by saidcam actuating means.

l2. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising a water inlet adapted to beconnected to a source of water under pressure, a rotatable impeller towhich water is delivered from said inlet, a motor connected to saidimpeller for rotating the same, a rotatable grid ring disposed adjacentsaid impeller for atomizing water distributed to it by said impeller,cleaning means cooperative with said grid ring for cleaning the teeth ofsaid ring as the latter is rotated, a turbine coupled to said grid lingfor effecting rotation thereof, said turbine being driven by water underpressure supplied thereto from said inlet.

13. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising a Vwater inlet adapted to beconnected to a source of water under pressure, a rotatable impeller fordistributing water delivered thereto, a rotatable grid ring disposedadjacent said impeller for atomizing water distributed to it by saidimpeller, a cleaning device adapted to clean the teeth of said grid ringas the latter is rotated, a turbine coupled to said grid ring foreffecting rotation thereof, a control valve, said valve including a pairof valve chambers, a first outlet leading to said impeller from one ofsaid chambers, a second outlet leading to said turbine from the other ofsaid chambers, an inlet adapted to establish cqmmugicationbetweensaidywater ,inlet .and valve chambersland @valve steieont-rmligg ow afwater Aselecnti-Yvel-y between said-valve inletyafnd valve ehanlbers-,and means egntlfl'ed by rotation-mf :said grid ring for actuating saidvalve 1,4,` A' self-,cleaning .humidifier as defined -ixr -claim 13Whereinl pue. wall-f-,eachof said valve chambers is constimted byaldiaphragm connected -to'rsaid valve stem, and which further includes'spring means normally biasingl said valve stem' Etav apositiri whereisaid valve inlet UN''TED STATES PATENTS Bahuson 6---- Sept. 9, .1952

